Covid-19: Whither education, sans examinations?

The decision to cancel Class X and XII exams by CBSE, ICSE and most states was not unexpected. The general perception is that it was a good decision considering the present scenario. The anxiety was palpable everywhere. Now, students can heave a sigh of relief, at least temporarily.

However, students who had set their sights high are disappointed. They have realised, to their dismay, that they will have to be satisfied with grades or marks way below their target. But it’s a relief that they will have an option to take an exam if they are not satisfied with their grades. This is more significant for students who are eager to get into premier professional institutions.

A situation like this one demands the creation of a reliable testing system at all levels of higher education, both professional and general. The selection can be based on an entrance test and Class XII results with both having an equal weightage. This appears to be a viable option now. Another possibility, that has already been speculated, is ranking and selections based solely on an entrance test.

A situation such as the one we are facing now should set us thinking. Is this heavy reliance on year-end exams academically tenable and scientifically valid? Is it not high time we think about more viable and sensible alternatives? Many educational commissions have pointed out the drawbacks of a single summative exam and suggested alternatives, but they have been ignored all along.

We need to think of continuous assessment, instead of summative. In fact, CBSE had introduced CCE (Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation) some years ago. It had both formative and summative assessments, which made it less strenuous but more meaningful for students.

Also read: Universities, colleges told to finish all exams soon

Unfortunately, when the government changed, it was not implemented. If it were, we wouldn’t have been in the present imbroglio.

The time has come to revive CCE with modifications. It has the potential to emerge as a viable alternative. Similar systems are followed in advanced countries and have stood the test of time.

The cancellation of exams is a one-time measure, hopefully. It was repeated two years in a row for all the lower classes. Its consequences must be assessed. Are students learning enough? Are teachers teaching enough? We need to go deeper into the issue. We need to identify how learning has been affected owing to the long closure of schools, in spite of online classes. There is bound to be a significant hiatus in the learning curve. What are the remedial measures to be put in place once normalcy is restored?

With the exam mindset firmly in place, students are motivated only by the fear of exams, not by the love of learning. Students think of cramming something at the eleventh hour for the annual exams. This results in them not learning consistently and in a graded and progressive manner. In other words, they skip many rigorous steps that will consolidate meaningful learning and rely heavily on the shortcut to so-called success. This is the most debilitating aspect of the system. Its consequences are visible in the steady erosion of academic standards. This is hardly noticed by the decision-makers, which is unfortunate.

In the present system, learning is controlled by a negative stimulus. In fact, learning should happen as a result of the curiosity to learn and love of learning. School ambience that is conducive to learning and well-trained teachers are integral to achieve this. Schools must be devoid of undue pressure, punishment systems etc that are negative impulses.

What makes exams unpopular is the stress associated with them. This stress is largely because of the undue importance given to the one final exam. This results in parents and teachers constantly heaping pressure on children.

They do this with good intentions, but the consequences need not be alike for all students. Some take it in their stride and learn more, but many crumble. Even suicides take place because of exam pressure. Not all students can withstand pressure beyond a certain point. The appointment of counsellors in the school system is a logical step in tackling this problem, but it is yet to show discernible results, going by the statistics.

The time has come to think of sensitive and intelligent schooling which emphasise continuous learning and testing, instead of cramming for year-end exams that decide a student’s future. We need to look for objective and fair evaluation tools in place of year-end exams. The need for this alternative cannot be ignored anymore.

(The writer is Director, Little Rock Indian School, Brahmavar, Udupi)